Cat adoption

BEDFORD, BIGGLESWADE AND DISTRICT

CATS PROTECTION

ADOPT A CAT

Covering postcodes MK40 - MK45 and SG15 - SG19 (only part of SG19).

Please note that, since home visits are compulsory before a cat can be rehomed, we are unable to place cats outside our geographical area of MK40-45 and SG15-18, plus parts of SG19.

If you live outside this area, please do not contact us

- we are simply not in a position to rehome a cat with you.

Please click here to find information on locating your nearest branch.

Please remember the branch is run entirely by volunteers and we cannot provide a 24 hour service, 365 days a year. Thank you.

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Lost and Found: General Advice

Lost and Found: Case Histories

Introduction

We have a steady stream (on occasions, a torrent!) of cats coming into our care, so we are always looking for good homes for them. If you would like to adopt a cat, please read the guidelines below to see if you qualify, then contact us for more information.

Guidelines

As a Branch we feel it is vital to match the right cat with the right home. To achieve this, we follow the guidelines provided by Head Office, which have been created based on years of experience of what works best. The emphasis is on putting the cat's needs first, and the aim is to pair the cat up with the right family and environment for him or her, and to provide adopters with a cat who suits their lifestyle.

Before rehoming a cat with you, it is therefore compulsory for you to have a home visit from one of our volunteers. This is all part of the process of helping to find a great match of cat and human. This may take longer initially, but the proof is in the pudding - very few of the cats we rehome are returned to us. Honey's and Mitzi's stories below might help you understand why we are so particular.

Please note that we do not own any physical premises, so it is not possible for you to pop along to view all the cats. The cats are looked after by individual volunteers in their own homes, and it is therefore helpful if you can tell us which cats you are interested in meeting, so we can arrange an appointment for you with the appropriate fosterer if you and we wish to go ahead.

Cats Looking for Homes

The situation with the cats in our care changes daily. We do have other cats (and sometimes kittens) looking for good homes who are not featured here on our website. If you can offer a good home to one of our cats but feel the featured cats are not suitable, please do still contact us.

TRIXIE

Trixie is about twelve years old. She is a fluffy tortoiseshell and white female. Trixie is a sweet, very affectionate girl. She has previously lived with an older person, although she is fine with visitors including children. She is not used to living with other cats or dogs.

Trixie chooses to spend most of her time indoors, although she used to go out. We would be happy for Trixie to be homed as a completely indoor cat or alternatively in a home where she can remain indoors as much as she wants or have the option to go out if she would like to have a wander, and where she can have a litter tray available all the time so she does not feel she has to go outside.

Trixie has been microchipped and is currently having her vaccinations brought up to date. She has recently had dental work.

Trixie does have a heart murmur, she does not need any medication for this at the moment, and may never need any, but should she need any veterinary treatment relating to her heart in the future, Cats Protection would cover the cost.

MILO

Milo is is approximately 5-6 months old. He is a short-haired, black and white boy. This little man can be shy to begin with, but once he gets to know you he’ll be quite happy to let you rub his tummy and he will be an affectionate family member. He should not be homed with young children or dogs as he is not used to them, but he should be fine with other cats. He has been vaccinated, and will be neutered and microchipped before going to a new home.

PEPSI and COLA

Pepsi and Cola are both long-haired, black and white boys. They are approximately eleven years old. They are very sweet natured cats but will be shy to start with so will need a quiet home where there are no children, other cats or dogs.

New owners will need to be patient and give them time to settle into a new home. Once settled, they will be affectionate members of the family. They also need a home where they can remain together. Both boys have recently had dental work. They have been neutered and microchipped and are currently having their vaccinations brought up-to-date.

SKITTLES

Skittles is approximately six years old. She is a short-haired tortoiseshell female. Skittles is generally a sweet friendly cat but she can have "naughty tortie" moments if she is not in a sociable mood! She adores being fussed but we don't think she will be a lap-cat. She needs a home where there are no young children, other cats or dogs. Skittles has been spayed, microchipped and is currently having her vaccinations brought up-to-date. She does have a weepy eye which will need regular cleaning - this problem has been examined by a vet and unfortunately there is no more treatment we can give her but it does not cause her any problems.

MINOU

Minou is a long-haired, black and white boy. He is six years old. His name means "Pussy Cat" in French. Minou is a friendly boy, he is used to living with an older person so his new home should have no young children, other cats or dogs as he is used to being the centre of attention. He has been neutered and microchipped and is currently having his vaccinations brought up-to-date.

WORKING CATS

We often have working cats looking for outdoor homes on farms, stables and smallholdings. In return for regular meals, they can offer a very effective and safe method of vermin control, especially around animal feed. We generally like to home at least two of these cats together as they are more likely to stay where they are placed if they have company.

These working cats tend to have been born outside or lived as strays for quite some time, and are not happy with a lot of human contact or being confined in a domestic situation. They are much happier living outside, where they can enjoy their freedom but receive regular food, water and have a dry barn or stable where they can sleep.

When we first place a working cat on site, they need to be confined in a cat-proof place for the first 2-3 weeks so they get accustomed to their new surroundings, if you do not have a suitable place for this we do have collapsible pens we can lend out for this purpose until they are released.

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We usually have other cats needing homes. The situation changes almost daily, so please feel free to contact us to discuss the kind of cat you would like to adopt, or to ask if one of the cats described above is still available for adoption.

Adoption Success Stories

Honey's Story - Honey wasn't always so sweet!

About a year ago our help was enlisted by a gentleman who could no longer gain access to his flat (apartment) because his one year old female cat, Honey, had "gone wild', We lent him a trap and he managed to catch her and get her spayed, hoping this would calm her down. All was then quiet for six months, but then Honey gave a repeat performance. Honey, however, was now wise to the nasty metal cage, even if it did contain food, and refused to go in the trap, so her owner had to decamp to his daughter's house and we waited until Honey had calmed down - several days later. Her owner had by then decided he could no longer cope with her behaviour and felt it was unfair to keep her cooped up in the flat (Honey was kept permanently indoors) and signed Honey over to us.

The cat I brought home with me, a beautiful longhaired ginger female, proved to be an extremely nervous, unpredictable little cat, who knew very little of the ways of the cat or human world; she barely knew how to play (although she had a whole bag full of cat toys) or interact with humans, and treated other cats with extreme caution. After a few days under the bed in my spare room, venturing out only at night to eat, she decided to have a look around and never really wanted to go back in. She was continually on the go, to the point of being hyperactive, exploring every nook and cranny and chimney, ad infinitum. She was fascinated by anything and everything; a whole new learning experience was just beginning.

After about three weeks I donned her harness - she had been outside only a few times in her previous life - and we ventured outside. One quick circuit of the garden was sufficient for fear to get the better of curiosity and she headed for the door. We repeated this exercise a few more times.

After about four and a half weeks I had to pass Honey on to another fosterer as I was going away on holiday. There she settled in even better and discovered cuddles and laps - a side she had not shown me.

After another few weeks a lovely couple came forward who were prepared to give Honey a home despite her foibles. She has settled really well and is becoming more and more 'normal' as time goes by. With each move she seemed to come out of herself a little more - she was learning fast about the big, wide world.

The frustration of a young, energetic cat living in a small flat led, in this case, to some very undesirable behaviour and underlines the care with which you should select an animal for such a lifestyle and the effort it takes to provide them with enough mental and physical stimulation to keep them happy from then on. Fortunately, in this case, there was a happy ending.

Alison

Mitzi's Story

Mitzi was born to a semi-feral cat who found her own way to one of our fosterers asking for help. The mother was taken in and her kittens were cared for. All but one of the litter siblings were tamed and went to loving homes as house pets, but Mitzi, who was tortoiseshell and white like her mother, remained shy and nervous in spite of every attention.

When Mitzi was about five months old, the ideal home was found for her with a family who had a great understanding of animals. They had a large house with plenty of ground space, stables and barns. The family already had lots of animals including dogs and peacocks but still had room for more to live happily alongside each other. Mitzi had grown up with her fosterer's big dogs so living with other animals would not be a problem.

As soon as Mitzi was six months old she was spayed and after recovery she was taken to her new home. She settled in very well as a farm cat. She now lets her new owners scratch her neck and rub her back. She still hides when the children appear but all in all she is very happy in the home we were able to offer her.

We are always on the look out for homes for cats such as Mitzi who do not fit the bill as a 'lap cat'. Please contact us if you think you could offer a home to a cat in need.

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This page last updated: 9 March 2010